BREAKING: Moyle Council scraps Ballintoy campervan plans

Una Culkin

Moyle Council will NOT now provide campervan facilities and showers at Ballintoy Harbour.

After a lengthy discussion at last night’s (Monday) meeting of Moyle District Council, a vote was taken to scrap the project, prompting Cllr Cara McShane to describe the decision as “lunacy”.

Council had considered installing what are known as “aire de service” facilities for campervans in Ballintoy.

However, Cllr Joan Baird said she objected to Council entering into competition with the private sector businesses in the Moyle area who, she said, had made huge investment in providing just such services for tourists.

Cllr Randal McDonnell pointed out that Council was already in competition with the private sector by running caravan parks but he also added that he felt great sympathy for both sides of the argument as campervan owners were genuine tourists who had every right to visit the area and expect proper facilities.

Chairing the meeting, Cllr Donal Cunningham reminded members that the debate was actually about the fact that the lowest tender contractor had now withdrawn and that the remaining tenders were over the Council’s budget.

Cllr Cara McShane said that the project provided a “prime opportunity to avail of rural development funding” and to develop the infrastructure of Ballintoy.

She urged fellow councillors to look “five, ten, fifteen, 20 years down the line and not stagnate”.

Cllr McShane put forward an amendment to proceed with the project at Ballintoy but could not find a seconder, prompting her to respond: “Poor decision making costs money.”